Margaret Ann Jackson, 1865-9/12/1925

MRS MARGARET ANN JACKSON. 

The death occurred on Friday morning of Mrs Margaret Ann Jackson, who was widely known as one of Dunedin’s most prominent social workers. 

Mrs Jackson was the second daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard East, of Frederick street, Dunedin, and was born in Auckland during the Maori war. She went to Great Britain with her parents in early childhood, and returned when nine years of age, settling in Dunedin, where she resided for the rest of her life. For 35 years she was connected with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, of which she was president for 27 years. She was also official prison visitor for that institution. Mrs Jackson was a member of the committee of the Royal Society of New Zealand for the Health of Women and Children. About 15 years ago she was appointed a member of the Advisorv Committee in connection with the management of the Hospital, and 12 years ago was one of the first women elected to the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, her seat on which she retained to her death. 

The deceased lady for many years had been an earnest and sincere social worker in the city, and brought to her self-imposed task of relieving those upon whom misfortune had fallen a rare energy that lost none of its zeal as the years passed. Indeed, it might be said that her comparatively early death was not unconnected with the exhausting nature of much of her work, and the severe demands that it made upon her strength. It was no uncommon experience for her to leave her home early in the day and to return at a late hour, after a day of continuous visiting, to find a message from some troubled source requesting her guidance and assistance. The official positions occupied by her would reasonably have been considered sufficient to claim the attention of a private individual, but her unflagging energy and large sympathy were of a kind that could not be confined within specified limits, and her sympathy with the destitute and unfortunate found its expression in wider activities that were known only to few of her intimate friends. Her private means were generously devoted to the work she loved, but to what extent remains a secret — no friend possessed a confidence so close as to know the extent of her giving. 

For the fallen of her sex she displayed a particularly kindly consideration, and that many have returned to respectability was due solely to the efforts of the deceased lady. In this class of rescue work she displayed a wonderful fearlessness, and fearlessly and courageously entered places of evil repute in search of some fallen one. The drunken husband or the wifebeater had no terror for her, and in some of these cases her help was called in preference to that of the police. 

Outside her social work the late Mrs Jackson could claim a large number of friends among all classes of the community in whose affections she occupied a high place by reason of her cheerful nature and kindly and humorous outlook on life. Despite her constant contact with the sordid and painful, she retained a natural geniality which made her a pleasant conversationalist. 

In the companionship of the young she took a special delight, and her home was the scene of many happy gatherings in which the kindly hostess was the leading spirit of the youthful revels. Hers was a life singularly rich in varied activities, self-denials, and work accomplished for love of her fellow-beings, and her death will leave a gap in the lives of many of the poor and lowly who had felt the shelter of her protective care.  -Otago Witness, 15/12/1925.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.  Margaret is not mentioned on the stone marking her grave but has recently been acknowledged for her work with the Belgian Relief Fund during the First World War.